Boston – New York – Washington, DC (NEC)

Federal Railroad Administration

The Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Boston, New York, and 

Washington, DC is the most heavily trafficked rail corridor in 

the country, but also has some of the oldest infrastructure in 

need of improvement. 

Through more than $1 billion in federal investments, 

construction work is now underway to significantly reduce 

congestion and begin to modernize outdated infrastructure, 

which dates back to the 19th century in some locations. 

Federally-funded planning grants are also laying the foundation 

for future investments that will continue to reduce the 

maintenance backlog and bring the NEC back to a state of good 

repair.

New Jersey High-Speed 

Rail Improvements

$450 million (HSIPR)

Harold Interlocking

$295 million (HSIPR)

Baltimore & Potomac 

Tunnel PE/NEPA Study

$60 million (HSIPR)

Boston-South Station 

Expansion / Layover

$33 million (HSIPR)

Kingston Track and 

Platform Improvements

$26 million (HSIPR)

Delaware Third Track

$13 million (HSIPR)

Susquehanna River Bridge 

PE/NEPA Study

$22 million (HSIPR)

BWI Airport Station 

PE/NEPA Study

$9 million (HSIPR)

Union Station Access 

Improvements

$4 million (HSIPR)

Providence Station 

PE/NEPA

$3 million (HSIPR)

Moynihan Station

$167 million 

(Multiple)

Corridor 

Characteristics

Length States Population

455 miles CT, DC, DE, MA, 

MD, NJ, NY, PA, RI 41 million

FRA invested $38.5 million to complete the final design for a 

replacement Portal Bridge over the Passaic River in New 

Jersey, part of the Gateway megaproject to increase rail 

capacity through New York City. Final design work was

completed on time and on budget. Today, the bridge 

replacement is ready for construction. 

Modernization

Core Express (Frequent service, 125+ mph)

Regional (3+ trains/day, 79-110 mph)

Feeder (1-3 trains/day, up to 79 mph)

Long Distance

Planning Only
Corridor Projects

(FY09-Present, $M) Program Fiscal 

Year

Year 

Complete Completion Status Federal NonFederal Total

NEC Future n/a 2010 2017 Planning/Design Underway $40 $0 $40

Electric Locomotive Purchase and Maintenance Upgrades RRIF 2011 2016 Construction Underway $563 $0 $563

Harold Interlocking HSIPR 2009 2022 Construction Underway $295 $317 $612

New York Moynihan Station Project Phase I** Multiple 2009 2016 Construction Underway $167 $9 $176

Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel PE/NEPA HSIPR 2009 2017 Planning/Design Underway $60 $0 $60 

Portal Bridge Final Design HSIPR 2009 2013 Complete $38 $17 $55 

Boston-South Station Expansion and Layover Facility HSIPR 2010 2017 Planning/Design Underway $33 $11 $43 

Kingston Track Capacity and Platform Improvements HSIPR 2009 2017 Construction Underway $26 $0 $26 

Susquehanna Bridge PE/NEPA HSIPR 2009 2017 Planning/Design Underway $22 $0 $22 

Delaware Third Track HSIPR 2010 2017 Planning/Design Underway $13 $3 $17 

BWI Airport Station PE/NEPA HSIPR 2009 2015 Complete $9 $2 $11

Union Station Passenger Access Improvements HSIPR 2009 2015 Complete $4 $4 $9

New Jersey High-Speed Rail Improvements HSIPR 2009 2020 Construction Underway $450 $36 $486 

Stamford Intermodal Access (Non-FRA project) TIGER 2011 2017 Construction Underway $11 $28 $39

Newark Regional Transportation Center (Non-FRA project) TIGER 2012 2018 Planning/Design Underway $10 $16 $26

Newark Train Station Improvement Plan (Non-FRA project) TIGER 2010 2012 Complete $2 $1 $3

Providence Station PE/NEPA HSIPR 2009 2016 Planning/Design Underway $3 $1 $4

TOTAL $1,746 $445 $2,192

Ridership On-Time Pct.

+22% ridership

-1% on-time

Since 2005

Ridership, FY05:

9.6 million

Ridership, FY15:

11.7 million OTP, FY05:

77.8%

OTP, FY15:

76.9%

Corridor Performance

FY05 FY10 FY15

Federal Railroad Administration

Boston – New York – Washington, DC (NEC)

A RRIF-financed Amtrak Cities Sprinter (ACS-64) locomotive passes through New 

Jersey, where substation and catenary improvements are underway.

SOURCES : Population: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010. Ridership & On-Time Performance: Amtrak, 2015. All Other Information: Federal Railroad Administration, 2015. Totals may not add exactly due to rounding. 

Last revised January 2016.

**Includes federal funding from FRA only, and non-federal matching funds for FRA grants only. Not reflective of total project cost.